Ah, Sweet Revenge
by SillyAndSirius
Summary: Lily thinks that James Potters sole role on this earth is to get on her nerves. But when revenge is needed she finds that he can be quite useful...
1. And the Saga Begins

Hola all my fanfiction buddies. So far I REALLY like this story, and so does my friend, so hopefully you will too! Thanks to GlitterGreen for helping me get it started! So, go ahead and enjoy the show!

_Since the day I met you _

_And after all we've _

_Been through_

_I'm still a dick_

_I'm addicted to you _

_-_Simple Plan (Addicted)

Ch. 1: And the Saga Begins

Lily entered the bustling train station. Her amber hair glowed under the bright halogen lights. She glanced around, looking for her best friend, Ashton White. She felt a tiny nip on the back of her neck and turned to see Derrick Rolt, AKA, her perfect boyfriend.

"Hi!" she exclaimed, giving him a kiss. Derrick was the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain. At 6'1 with light brown hair, and dark blue eyes, Lily thought he was very handsome. Lily and Derrick had been dating since halfway through their sixth year.

"Congratulations!" he said as soon as they broke away from the kiss. Lily had recently gotten a letter from Hogwarts telling her she was the new Head Girl, and she had immediately told anyone and everyone who would listen.

"Thanks" Lily said, smiling widely.

"So I guess this means you'll be spending even less time with us this year," said a voice behind her. Lily turned around and saw none other than Ashton. Her best friend had shoulder-length dirty-blonde hair and dark brown eyes.

"Hey, Ash!" Lily exclaimed, giving her friend a big hug.

"Hi!" Ashton replied. "Congrats on The Head Girl position!"

"Speaking of Head Girl, I have to go do my duties."

"Oh, come on Lily! Make the prefects patrol, I mean, you _are_ Head Girl," Ashton said.

"Sorry, but I really can't!" Lily said. "I'll see you guys at dinner though." She gave Derrick a quick peck on the cheek, leaving for the compartment she was to meet the prefects in.

She walked in to find what looked like a large black porcupine poking up over the top of seat.

"What are you doing in here, Potter?" Lily sighed. A handsome face popped out from behind the seat, revealing that it was not a porcupine she was seeing, but a head of black hair. He stood up, putting down his copy of Quidditch Weekly (_Is the need for speed actually a bad thing?_, and _An interview with the World Cup Champions, Portugal!)_, and smiled at Lily.

The same thing you are, my dear Lily!"

Lily gaped at him. "_You're_ Head Boy?!" she asked incredulously.

"Yup! Aren't you excited?!" he asked, putting his arm around her. "Just think, we're gonna have sooo much fun! We're gonna share a dorm, and make smores, and tell scary ghost stories, and maybe, if you get really lucky, I'll let you wear my special fuzzy bunny slippers!"

"Oh God help me,"she muttered as the prefects began to enter the carriage.

After they had given the orders to the prefects, they began their patrol.

"So, are you still seeing that Daren guy?" James asked, checking a compartment full of first years. He winked at the giggling girls and closed the door.

Lily rolled her eyes and replied; "His name is _Derrick,_ and yes, I'm still seeing him."

"Oh dear, that really does put a damper on my plans…" he said with a frown.

"What plans?" asked Lily, curious.

"My plans to shag you while we're roomies," James replied. Lily raised her hand to slap him. "I was only playing!" James exclaimed, throwing his hands up defensively. Lily gave him a look that could kill and checked the next compartment.

After an extremely long and annoying patrol, Lily plopped down on a seat and began ripping apart a pumpkin pastry, stuffing random pieces in to her mouth.

"Wow, you eat almost as quickly as me!" James noted as Lily licked the icing off of her fingers.

"Eating is about the only thing that keeps me from killing you."

"I love you too, Lily-kins," James replied cheerfully. He stood up and stretched. "Now what?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure we're supposed to make another round, then-"

"Hold on a minute," interrupted James. "Don't we get a break?"

Lily cocked an eyebrow and looked at James. "What do you call that thing we just had?"

"No, I mean a break from each other. I have plans."

"I suppose your snogging some girl in closet,"

"Actually, you're very close-"

"Ok, I really don't want to hear about this," Lily said, glancing at her watch. "It's 2:00 now, you had better be back by 3:30."

Lily walked into the last compartment and slammed the door. She slouched into a seat and muttered "Wake me at 3:25."

"James bothering you?" asked Ashton.

"Yeah can you believe he's Head B- wait a second, you knew?!" Lily said.

"Um, about that-" Ashton began.

"I'm going to kill you Ash!" Lily exclaimed.

"Think of it this way Lily, it wouldn't have helped anyways! If I had told you, you would have spent the whole summer being mad because you had to spend the year with Potter!"

"That's true," Lily replied with a sigh.

"Was it really that bad anyways?" questioned Ashton.

"Hmm, let me think… Me, stuck with Potter for hours on end. Sounds like fun." Lily replied sarcastically.

"Right, I'll wake you up at 3:25."

At 4:26 the door to the compartment slid open and James walked in, a fresh dark red mark on his neck and a wolfish smile on his face. Lily began immediately.

"I say 3:30, you walk in at 4:26! I swear Potter, you listen like a Centaur during an eclipse! Do you realize that if Dumbledore finds out about this we could be deprived of our positions? And yes, that would mean no more assigning detentions to Snape for you! You are an irresponsible ratfink, James Potter!"

"Listen Lily, I'm really sorry, I just completely lost track of time! And then I couldn't get Cindy Jones off of me! I swear! Scouts Honor!" James explained as Lily glowered at him. "It won't do us any good just standing here, anyways. Let's go."

After a thorough inspection of the train Lily went to ask the conductor how much further Hogwarts was.

"Only another half an hour. We better tell everybody."

Lily stepped off the train and looked up at the castle. It was illuminated by the moon and its many bright windows shone against the dark background of it's walls. She turned around and saw James talking to a pretty 5th year. He whispered something into her ear and Lily saw her blush and giggle. She felt a stab of annoyance go through her heart. Oh how that Potter got on her nerves. Even his presence in classes brought her to the point of despair. How was she supposed to share a room with him?

James looked up and saw Lily staring at him. He said goodbye to the girl, gave her one last wink, and walked towards Lily. "Don't worry babe, there's enough of this to go around."

Lily laughed and replied "In your dreams Potter." She began shooing a group of Second Years towards the carriages.

A deep booming voice resounded throughout the station. "Firs' years this way!"

"Hey, Hagrid!" James said, directing his attention towards a very large man with long scruffy black hair.

"Ello there James!" Hagrid replied. "Boy am I glad to see you! The cabbages keep turning into Muggle garden gnomes and McGonnagall has been too busy to come and fix them. I was hopin' you could come down and do a bit of transfiguration on 'em for me."

"Of course."

"And there's Miss Evans. Congratulations to the both of ye."

Lily beamed and said "Thank you," before getting into a carriage with Ashton and Derrick.

"How did your patrols with Evans go?" Sirius asked James as he entered the carriage.

"Could've been worse, I suppose. She only threatened to slap me once."

"You're making progress," Remus said.

"I like to think so."

"You'll conquer her yet, my friend!" Sirius said while patting James on the back.

"Did Potter drive you as nuts as you look, or are you just doing that for show?" questioned Ashton, pointing towards Lily's foot, which was tapping a hundred times a minute.

"Oh no, it was great fun," Lily said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry Honey," Derrick said while trying to nuzzle Lily's neck.

Lily pushed him away and said "What does it matter to you? And where were you during the train ride, anyways?"

"I was with my friends. I can't hang out with your friends all the time. No offense Ashton."

"None taken," Aston said.

Lily sighed and replied, "I'm sorry, I had no right to get mad at you. I'm frustrated about Potter and I took it out on you guys."

"No problem," said Ashton. "I'm used to it."

Lily smiled and jumped across the carriage, tackling her friend.

Lily and Ashton sat down at the Gryffindor table. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter entered the Great Hall. Ashton sighed and gazed at Sirius wistfully. She had had a crush on him for as long as Lily could remember.

"I swear I don't see why you don't just ask him out," Lily said.

Ashton snapped out of her daze and said "Duh, because he would say no."

"You never know," Lily replied.

James looked at Lily and walked towards her. "Oh no," Lily groaned as he sat down opposite her, soon followed by his friends. Ashton smiled bashfully but Lily scowled.

"Hello Lilers!" Sirius exclaimed.

"We decided to join you," James said.

Lily was just about to comment on this when the First Years began to enter the hall. She stared ahead and tried her best to ignore James.

Following a long and painful dinner, and after Lily and James had told all the Gryffindors their new password (puffapod), they each said goodnight to their separate groups of friends and began heading to their dorm.

"Where is it again, Lily?" asked James.

"It's supposed to be on a different hall," Lily answered as the walked out of the Portrait whole. "Through a picture of a Devils Snare."

"Oh yeah," James said.

They walked down the hall and came to a corner. "I think we go to the left," said Lily.

"No, I think it's to the right," James said.

"I am the one that remembered what the portrait looked like; I think I trust my judgment over yours." Lily replied.

James followed her, but they soon found themselves at a dead end. They went back and took James' directions.

"Ha! I told you." James said as they came upon the portrait.

"How did you know? I mean, you didn't even remember what it looked like," Lily said.

"I know every corner of this castle Lily. All you have to do is tell me what you're looking for."

Lily looked at him curiously and said "Fizzing Whizbies." The portrait swung open and they entered it.

Lily gasped. It was like their new dorm was an apartment. There were two armchairs and a table set up in front of a fire, as well as a large bookcase against the wall. They walked further inside to find three doors; two bedrooms with a connecting bathroom. The sinks were marble and the beds were filled with down.

"This is wonderful," Lily said, passing her hands over copies of books such as _Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them_, and _Transfiguration for Dummies. _

James nodded his head and yawned. "I'm going to bed. Want to join me?"

"Yeah I'll be there in a minute."

"Good, I'll go ahead and get undressed."

"I didn't mean it like that, Potter!"

James chuckled and said "I know, I was only joking."

"Yeah I should hope so."

They both went to the bathroom to brush their teeth.

"What?" asked Lily as James stared at her, white foam dripping down his chin. "You look like you've got rabies when you do that."

"How long are you going to brush your teeth for?"

"Two minutes. That's how long you're supposed to."

James gaped at her, increasing the amount of toothpaste dripping down his chin.

Lily rinsed out her mouth and said "That really does make you look scary."

James swished water in his mouth and Lily pulled out her floss.

"God, you floss too?"

"Yup!"

James shook his head and said "You really are obsessed with dental hygiene."

Lily changed and walked back into the bathroom to get her hairbrush. James was standing in front of the mirror and checking his teeth in nothing more than his boxers.

"Good Lord, Potter, put some clothes on!" Lily said while shielding her eyes.

"What? This is what I sleep in."

"I don't care what you sleep in, put on a robe or something!"

"Oh come on Evans, it's not that bad! Pretend like I'm wearing swimming trunks or something."

"I would rather not see you in swimming trunks either!" Lily said, but reluctantly pulled her hand away from her eyes.

"I knew you could do it." James said with a smile. Lily glared at him and grabbed her hair brush. She ran it through her hair, pausing to rip at the tangles. James winced and asked "Doesn't that hurt?"

Lily shrugged her shoulders and continued brushing. When she was done she said "Goodnight, Potter" and walked into her room. James followed her example and went into his own room.

They both turned out their lights and the room became quiet. Lily was just beginning to fall asleep when she jumped.

"Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer! Take one down pass it around, ninety-"

"POTTER!" she exclaimed.

"What?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Singing."

"Yes, I know that, but why?"

"That's how I fall asleep."

"Oh God help me," she mumbled. She then said "Could you do it a little quieter please?"

James sighed loudly and said "I suppose."

"Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," James said, and resumed his singing, now in a quieter tone.

Lily sighed and turned on to her side, gazing out the window. This really was going to be a rather long year.

Yay chappie one finished! Lordie that was long! **8 whole pages!** That is the longest chapter I have ever written! EVER! I'm so proud of myself! You know what would make me even more proud? If you reviewed! It'll help me update sooner! Thanks!


	2. Closet Space

I know it took me FOREVER to update, but since I'm supposed to make the chapters so long I kind of dread writing it…Thanks so much to all the people that reviewed last time! I think 5 reviews for a first chapter is pretty good, but maybe that's just me. Anyways, on with the show!

That's what I go to school for  
Even though it is a real bore  
You can call me crazy  
But I know that she craves me

-Busted

Ch. 2: Closet Space

Lily opened her eyes and glared at her clock; 6:32 was glowing in bright red. Lily let out a loud sigh and rolled out of bed. She wandered into the bathroom and locked all three doors. (One into her room, one into James' room, and one into the living room) Turning on the shower, she brushed out her hair and got under the water. She took her shower slowly, enjoying the calming sensation. After twenty-five minutes she turned the water off and began drying her hair. A loud knock at the door on her right made her jump, and she turned off the hair dryer.

"What!" she snapped.

"Will you hurry up, please? We do have to share a bathroom, you know," James said from the other side off the door.

"Bug off!" Lily yelled and turned the hair dryer back on. Lily was not a good morning person, and it was usually best not to speak to her until she was completely ready.

Out of spite, Lily put on her makeup particularly slowly. She finally unlocked James' door and pushed it open.

"Thank you, your majesty," James said with a deep bow.

Lily glared at him and went to go into her room.

"Not that I don't love seeing you in a towel, but hurry up. I have to get ready in five minutes," James said while shoving Lily out the door, locking it behind her.

Five minutes later James emerged from his room, smelling fresh and fully dressed.

Lily looked at him curiously and began gathering her things.

"What?" James asked.

"How in the world did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Get ready that quickly?"

"Really Lily, not everyone needs an hour to look beautiful."

Lily, getting annoyed, snatched up her purse and stormed out the door, slamming it behind her. James grabbed his books and ran after her.

"Sorry Lily, I was just joking. Didn't mean to offend you or anything."

Lily gave him the cold shoulder and quickened her pace.

"You really aren't a morning person, are you?" James questioned.

"Not when I wake up with you to deal with."

"I can see we are going to have a few problems in the mornings."

They entered the Great Hall and found that most of the other students had already arrived. They split up and went to sit with their separate groups of friends.

Ashton was chewing on her bagel contentedly when Lily joined her.

"So how was the night with Potter?" she asked while licking cream cheese off her fingers.

"Once you get past the singing, arrogant, annoying, immature prick part, he's not half bad."

"I know, I kno- hold on, singing?"

"Yes, and he's really not that good at it."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better the dorm sucks without you. Nicole and Elizabeth about drove me mad. They kept me up until 1:30 talking about how many times they got laid over the summer. I swear, you'd think virginity was a phenomenon."

Lily was nodding her head appreciatively when Derrick sat down beside her.

"Morning babe," he said while nipping at her ear playfully.

"Morning," she answered, barely sufficing her giggles.

Lily was about to pull him into a kiss when she had the unpleasant feeling she was being watched. She looked up and down the table and found what she was looking for: James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were all staring at her unhappily. When they saw her looking at them, they immediately diverted their attention elsewhere.

Lily felt a painful bite on her ear and he mind was brought back to Derrick. Against her will, she let out a small giggle as he ran his tongue along her collar bone.

"Really, Rolt, I would prefer if you didn't maul my students during breakfast. I suggest you go back to the Ravenclaw table so you can get your schedule." Professor McGonagall had surprised them, but Derrick quickly recovered and went back to his own house table.

"I expect better behavior from a Head Girl, Miss Evans," McGonagall said, handing Lily her schedule.

As soon as McGonagall left Ashton began laughing. Lily sent her a glare and glanced at James. He was smirking at her, hazel eyes aglow.

"We have Flitwick first," Ashton said as soon as she had recovered from her giggles. "I don't see how you can like that class."

Lily shrugged and stood up. "We better get going. Don't want to be late!"

Ashton sighed and followed her out the large oak doors.

They walked in silence for a while before Ashton asked "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, Lily, I've known you for over six years. I can tell when something's wrong."

"I guess Potter's just grinding on my nerves."

"Oh dear. Hate to break it to ya kid, but you kind of have to deal with him for the whole year."

"I know, I know. Did you see the way him and his friends were staring at me during breakfast? Very creepy."

"I'm telling you, you're just that sexy!" Ashton explained.

Lily laughed. "Nothing but a bit off Ashton to cheer me up!"

"Hey, you're not the only one that's sexy around here!"

It was only the first day of school and Lily was already loaded down with homework. She was always so excited to finally be at school that she had forgotten how horrible it could be. She followed Ashton into the Gryffindor Common Room and set her books down. She stretched and yawned loudly before plopping down beside her friend.

"Forgetting about anything?" Ashton asked sweetly.

Lily looked at her suspiciously.

"Maybe a certain someone you were supposed to meet…"

Lily's look of confusion only grew.

"A certain someone named Derrick in that lovely closet you two are always in."

Lily jumped up. "Thanks Ash, I totally forgot!"

"What am I here for?"

Lily rushed out of the room, nearly knocking over two first years. It was a tradition of hers and Derricks to always meet in a closet on Mondays. Although Ashton thought the idea of meeting your boyfriend between piles of cleaning supplies and ancient jars of crusted dragon dung was thoroughly nauseating, Lily always seemed to enjoy it.

Lily sped silently down the corridor. Finally reaching the closet, she swung the door open to find it empty of any live beings. (Unless you counted that weird fungus growing in the corner…) Surprised, she entered the closet and closed the door. She sat down on a box of cleaners and looked about herself. Why wasn't Derrick there yet? Could he have forgotten too? Or had he just decided not to come? She began to get angry and stood up.

Just as Lily was about to go look for him, Derrick swung the door open. He quickly closed the door behind him, locking his lips onto Lily's. She attempted to push him away, but was unsuccessful. Knocking over a mop, he pushed her roughly against the wall and slid his tongue between her lips. Finally breaking apart for breath, Lily took advantage of the moment.

"Why in the world were you so late?"

"I'm sorry, Lily, but I got held up in a meeting with the Quidditch team," Derrick explained.

Lily immediately felt bad. Her temper was always getting her into trouble. Derrick saw her expression soften and began to kiss her.

Lily pulled away and looked into his eyes. "I love you."

Derrick looked unwaveringly back. "I love you too."

I know it's a tab bit on the short side but I thought this was a really good place to stop. I've got at least the outline planned for the next chapter, so hopefully I'll update sooner. Anyways, ya'll know the drill; you push that cute little button at the bottom of the screen, and write me a beautiful review. Thanks lots!


	3. Emotions on High

A/N: Ok, first and foremost, you guys are **awesome**! I know 11 reviews might not seem like much to the average person, but to me it's like heaven. Secondly, I'm sorry for the long wait. I can't think of a single chapter in any of my stories that I didn't have to say that, which is kinda pathetic. Only two weeks left of school (woot woot!), so after that there should be far less time between updates. Hopefully… My schedule's already packed for vacation. And thirdly, as always, enjoy!

Ch. 3: Emotions on High

Lily tried to tie back her messy hair as she strode quickly down the empty hallways. Reaching her room, she tucked stray pieces of hair behind her ears and said Fizzing Whizbies. The portrait swung open and she quietly walked in. The room was pitch black and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Back a little late tonight, aren't we?" Lily jumped at the sound and turned to look at the voice. James turned on the small desk lamp beside him and looked at her. "What have you been up to, Evans?"

Lily, shocked and uncomfortable, gaped at him, and then stared at the floor.

"Let me guess. Romping around with that Darren? You'd almost think you were a whore."

Lily's temper flared and she met James' eyes. "Oh and I suppose you're little Miss Virgin. And I was not romping around with _Derrick_."

"Right, those big red marks on your neck just appeared on their own? Or are they bites from a rabid weasel?"

"What I do in my spare time is no business of yours!"

"But Lily, dearest, it wasn't your spare time. You must remember that you're Head Girl. And with that comes responsibilities. You just aren't showing that you're ready for such a big job. First breakfast, now this. You must show examples for the younger children."

Lily's face reddened with anger. "And you're just such a great influence on everyone, right? How many people have you slept with since we got here? I'm guessing you had a threesome while I was gone? Or, God forbid, maybe you did some homework. But I know for a fact that you did not patrol. You're too lazy to get your ass off that chair unless it means getting laid."

James began to get annoyed. "For your information, I did patrol. I waited an hour for you until I decided you weren't coming. I patrolled for my full hour."

Lily glared at James, unable to say anything back.

"So how was it tonight?" James pestered. "He didn't happen to be late did he? Probably made up some lame excuse about a Quidditch meeting?"

Lily opened her mouth to reply, but closed it. She opened it again. "He loves me," was all she could manage to say.

"Figures," James muttered. And with that he walked into his room and shut the door.

Lily did nothing for a moment, but finally made her way to the bathroom. Once she had gotten her pajamas on she huddled under her covers. She lay awake for what seemed like hours. Her mind was whirling with the events of the night. How had James known that Derrick had been late? If she weren't so mad at him she would go and ask him. As she finally began to drift off to sleep, she decided that James just wanted to break her and Derrick up because he was a jealous prick. And with that, Lily put all doubts and confusion out of her mind and fell asleep.

The next morning Lily happily woke up early, since the chances of her encountering James were slim. She was out the door when James turned the shower on and done with breakfast by the time he got there. There was still a half an hour until classes began, so she went to the library to pass the time.

When the bell finally rang, she gathered her things and headed to Professor McGonagall's class. She sat down at her regular seat and stared at the blackboard. She felt James sit down in his seat behind her, which was located where it was for easy flirting and spit ball opportunities. For the first time she could remember, James stuck to himself and said nothing.

Lost in her thoughts, Lily barley heard the throat clearing beside her right ear. She looked up to find Ashton glaring at her.

"And just where do you think you were this morning?" Ashton asked.

"Sorry, I had to go to the library," Lily answered.

Ashton looked at Lily suspiciously and sat down beside her. "No breakfast?"

"I got up early."

"You never get up early, even to go to the library," Ashton pointed out. Professor McGonagall entered the room and Ashton whispered "I expect the real answer later."

Class passed slowly, and was ended with a large amount of homework. Lily picked up her bags and was walking out the door when she heard Professor McGonagall call her. "Evans! Potter! Come here please."

Lily turned around and trudged over to McGonagall's desk. James didn't look at her as she stood by his side. McGonagall looked at them both and began. "I know it's only the second day of school, but I have a very important job for you two to take on. It seems that the Headmaster is in very high spirits this year and has decided to throw a Yule Ball. You are in charge of all the arrangements."

A smile spread across Lily's face, and even James' mood seemed to lighten. McGonagall continued, "Since you will be working together on this, I highly suggest you try your hardest to get along better. Especially since you will be accompanying each other to the ball."

Lily looked at Professor McGonagall in disbelief. Her go to a dance with James? She would die before the night was over! Goodness, just the thought of it made her nauseous. She glanced at James, and it appeared that he was thinking the same thing. She looked back at McGonagall and said "Are you sure this is a very good idea?"

McGonagall nodded her head and said "It is Dumbledore's idea, but I do think it's a good one. A change is just what the school needs. I imagine your teachers will be expecting you soon. Just keep the dance on your brain, it will come faster than you expect."

Lily and James left the classroom together and began walking towards their next class, Herbology.

"Look," James said, stopping suddenly, "We can't exactly plan an entire ball if we're fighting all the time. So let's just go ahead and make a truce."

Lily looked at him cautiously. "You're suggesting we actually get along for four months, right?"

"Correct," James said.

"As ludacris and unimaginable as that may sound, I think that's our only option if we want to actually pull this off," Lily decided.

"Truce?" James asked and extended his hand.

"Truce," Lily answered. Her hand shook his, and a new segment of their life began.

A/N: I know it's really short but I think it suits. The actual plot of the story will probably begin chapter after next, I hope. Just stick tight and things will really get interesting! Oh, and a review would definitely help to speed up the process. Thanks!


	4. Shopping

Hello all! This will almost certainly be a short and boring chapter, but the good stuff is coming up! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you rock!

Ch. 4: Shopping

So shutup  
And never stop  
Let's shop  
Until we drop

-Barenaked Ladies

Shopping

The days began to fly by as Lily and James began preparing for the dance. Although they had only told their small groups of friends, the news of the ball had already gone around the school. People were constantly stopping them in the hallways and asking them annoying questions, like if it was ok for them to wear a pink halter dress.

James and Lily had gotten along on a strictly business relationship. Their arguing had been at a minimum, and they were finally getting used to living with each other (Lily had even become accustomed to James' singing). They rarely agreed on anything, but usually they came to a median.

One day in late November, they were sitting in the Common Room, trying to finish up on their long list of supplies. The table that sat between them was covered in papers, books, and pamphlets.

"So we decided on Underwood Witches for music, right?" Lily asked, double-checking over their list for entertainment.

"No, Death by Bread," James said, looking up from his pamphlet on Pam's Pastry Shop.

"That's trash music, James; nobody wants to listen to that," Lily said.

"Well nobody wants to listen to a bunch of witches whining about how bad their love lives are," James argued.

"I know lots of people who like Underwood Witches!" Lily said offensively.

"Yes, but do you know any guys that like them?" James questioned.

"Umm…"

"Exactly."

"Ok, so both of the bands we want are out of the question. What do you propose we do?"

James thought for a moment. An idea popped into his head and he said "We can go to the Hogs Head and see if they know anyone."

"What!" Lily asked, dumbfounded.

"They always have live music down there, they're bound to know someone who might want to perform. Plus it'll be cheaper. We can check it out when we go to get the rest of the supplies."

Lily looked wary, but agreed.

"It'll work out great, you'll see," James said.

A few days later Lily and James walked through the windswept town. Winter had settled down and was making itself comfortable, pouring snow from the sky above. The two walked into the dimly lit tavern and headed towards the bar. It was still early in the day, so only a few wizards and a hag were in the room.

Sitting down on two stools at the bar, a rather grim looking man walked up to them. "What can I get you?" he asked in a raspy voice.

"Actually, we have a few questions for you," James said.

"We'll take two butter beers, too. Please," Lily added at the look on the man's face. It seemed like he wasn't going to do much talking until he got at least a little money from them.

The bartender set two dusty bottles in front of them and leaned against the bar, obviously waiting to hear their questions.

"You see, we're organizing a Yule Ball up at the school," James began, taking a swig of his butter beer.

Lily looked at her filthy butter beer distastefully, then wiped the mouth of her bottle before gulping down a large mouthful.

James nearly laughed at Lily's cleanliness, and continued. "We came across a bit of a problem, because we couldn't decide on a band to play. Then we remembered that you usually have live music on the weekends, so you must know a few bands that might be willing to play at our dance."

The bartender looked at James suspiciously for a few moments, and then cleared his throat. "I suppose the best band for you to use would probably be the Wand Washers. They're pretty new, but they put on a great performance."

"That sounds great! Is there any way we can hear a sample of their music?" Lily asked.

The man took his wand out of his back pocket, waved it slightly, and muttered 'Wand Washers.' A melodious tune drifted from the wand. A set of drums joined the strumming guitar, and was soon accompanied by the singer. The song was sort of pop-rock, and the musicians in it were excellent.

"That's exactly what we were looking for!" James exclaimed.

"I'll go ask them if they'd like to perform for you," the bartender said.

He returned a few minutes later with their reply.

"They'll do it for free!" Lily asked incredulously at the man's answer.

"They're old Hogwarts students and they said they'd love the opportunity to return," the barman said.

"Well isn't that a bit of luck!" James said.

Lily and James left the tavern ten minutes later feeling much better about themselves. They headed to Pam's Pastry Shop to see if she could make some snacks for the dance. (Dumbledore insisted that the house elves have that night off.) When they entered the shop, Pam immediately began offering them samples of her homemade cakes and pastries. Each bite was more delicious than the last, and Lily and James left the shop full to the brim, another job checked off of their list.

Next came shopping for decorations, supplies, and other assorted things. When they were finally done, it was 7:00 and they were both completely exhausted.

"Well, I think that was the most successful shopping trip of my entire life," Lily said.

"I must agree with you on that one, Lilers." James agreed.

"You know, this ball just might work out pretty well."

I'm sorry that this chapter was so boring and short, but I did warn you! Mostly this chappie was just meant to waste time… I must apologize for the extremely long wait, and unfortunately it's probably going to be a while until I get to update again. My summer vacation was extremely busy, and now with school and volley ball and marching band, plus the school newspaper, I barely have enough time to eat, let alone write! But when I do update, I promise it will be a fabulous chapter!


	5. Love is Blind

Cause Saying I Love You

Has Nothing To Do With Meaning It

-Maroon Five

Ch. 5: Love is Blind

Lily could hardly believe it when she discovered that the dance was a mere week away. James and herself hadn't even discussed what they were going to wear, while everyone else was just putting on the finishing touches. Instead of consulting James for his opinion, Lily went shopping for her dress robes with Ashton.

After rummaging through shelves of robes, they came upon a set of dark green dress robes. It was so silky that it nearly fell off of Lily's pale shoulder, and tiny silver sequins adorned the edges. Using their fantastic shopping skills, Ashton and the store clerk quickly found matching shoes, a small silver purse, and even two tiny silver hairpins with sparkling emeralds set into them.

Altogether the price was very low; the clerk said that they had been trying to sell the robe for ages and it was a relief to finally get rid of it. Lily walked bouncily back to Hogwarts, excited about her purchases.

The day of the ball dawned cold and bright. Lily lounged in bed lazily for an hour before getting up to get dressed. There were no classes today, and tomorrow most of the students would be leaving for Christmas. As she rushed around in the cold air, trying to get dressed as quickly as possible, she heard a small grunt issue from James' bedroom.

As she pulled on her favorite sweater, she realized that she didn't really mind going to the ball with James. If you had told her this a month ago, she would have laughed in your face. But now she didn't mind at all; she was almost looking forward to it.

The one thing she did mind, though, was Derricks date. He had chosen to take Cynthia Krill, quite possibly the most loathsome girl at Hogwarts. Cynthia, a seventh year Slytherin, had long dark hair, deep eyes, olive skin, and the most perfect complexion you have ever laid eyes on. Although extremely beautiful, her reputation made her much more popular with the male population than the female.

As soon as Lily found out about Derrick's plan to take her, she told him not to. But as Derrick told her that he had already asked Cynthia, Lily knew that it was too late for him to ask someone else. In the end Lily made herself believe that it was perfectly ok for Derrick to take Cynthia. After all, why wouldn't it be? There was no reason for her to not trust Derrick.

Lily finished pulling on her shoes and walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. James was still snoring softly in the room next to her. She finished brushing her teeth, combed through her hair, and slipped out the door into the silent hallway.

As Lily made her way through the empty corridors, her thoughts fell again on the dance. It was quite possibly the most anticipated event in Hogwarts history. She and James had spent many long hours discussing the plans, and from the way it looked, everything would be perfect.

Lily stepped into the Great Hall to see it looking normal. The four long tables were in their usual places, and breakfast was laid out upon them. A few early birds were already chewing contentedly on ham and eggs. It amazed Lily that in a few hours the Great Hall would look completely different, and she would help it become that way.

Biting into her egg, Lily felt a hand rest upon her shoulder. She knew it was Derrick before she even saw his face, and a warm glow immediately settled into her stomach. He sat down beside her and smiled before scooping a large portion of scrambled eggs onto his clean plate.

"Morning," Lily said cheerfully as Derrick added sausage and toast to his plate.

"Morning," he replied through a mouthful of bacon. He swallowed and added, "Sleep well?"

"Yes, and you?"

"Good, good."

Derrick added a huge forkful of eggs to his mouth and Lily said "Are you excited?"

"About?"

"The dance, of course!"

"Oh, yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Derrick said, taking Lily's hand in his and smiling again.

Lily waited for him to continue talking, but he didn't. After a few minutes of silence she said "You seem a bit distant this morning."

Derrick finished his last bite of breakfast and looked at Lily. "You are quite possibly the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen."

Lily blushed as Derrick gave her a small kiss on her cheek. With a quick wink and a squeeze of her hand, Derrick stood up and walked through the doors at the end of the hall. Lily, a bit confused but overwhelmed by love, picked up her Daily Prophet and began reading an article on wand quality in South Africa.

Ashton soon joined her, and they discussed the night ahead as they finished their breakfasts.

"You know, I really don't trust that Krill girl," Ashton commented, eating her last bite of toast.

"Me either, but I do trust Derrick," Lily replied..

Ashton said nothing to this, but instead stood up. "Here comes your date. I'll see you up in my dorm; 4:30 sharp!"

"I'll see you then, Ash, Lily said as James took a seat beside her.

"Good morning," he said through a mouthful of eggs and bacon.

"Good morning."

"Are you excited about tonight?"

Lily contemplated this question for a moment before saying, "Yeah. You?"

"Of course."

Lily smiled a little and said "Well, you should hurry up; we're supposed to start decorating in five minutes."

James followed her advice and finished his breakfast at an alarming rate. He was just cleaning the last crumbs off of his plate when the entire staff, including a few ghosts, walked into the Great Hall. Lily and James gave them detailed descriptions of how they wanted the Hall to look, and everybody got to work.

Within a few hours, the Hall had been transformed into a magical winterey paradise. Only a few final touches were left when Lily glanced at her watch.

"4:40 already? I was supposed to start getting ready ten minutes ago!" she exclaimed.

"Go get dressed; I'll finish up in here," said James, who was nearby working on some Christmas trees. Lily was just about to protest when he added, "Really, go! You know me, I'll be ready in five minutes flat. I'll meet you at the bottom of the stairs at 6:00, ok?"

Lily smiled, said a quick thank you, and ran towards Ashton's dorm.

As she entered, she found her fellow Gryffindor 7th year girls halfway through getting dressed. Ashton ran up to her and immediately began bickering about how late she was. An hour later Lily was completely ready to go. Ashton, dressed in dark blue robes, accompanied her to the top of the stairs.

As soon as they reached the stair, Aston leaned towards Lily and whispered into her ear, "Did you see how big his eyes got? You look gorgeous." She was right. At the sight of Lily, James' eyes had grown to the size of pie plates and his mouth had even opened a little. He quickly recovered, and was back to his normal, cool self as she hooked her arm into his.

James guided her into the Great Hall, and even she had to gasp at their marvelous creation. Warm snowflakes fell from the enchanted ceiling, huge sparkling Christmas trees were set in every corner, and the four long tables had been replaces by a hundred tiny round ones.

As Lily and James took their seats at the staff table, she glanced over to see him grinning. "Not too bad, eh?" Lily couldn't help but smile as Dumbledore stood up. The room, which had been filled with the sound of happy students, soon fell silent, and Dumbledore began to speak.

"Welcome to your first Hogwarts Yule Ball. It was once a tradition, but was lost, as many traditions are. Our very own Head Boy and Girl, James Potter and Lily Evans, were able to bring this tradition back, and better than ever. How about a round of applause for their great work?"

Lily blushed as the room was filled with clapping. Dumbledore soon cleared his throat and continued, "We will first have a light dinner, which will be followed by the dance. Refreshments will be served the entire night, so try not to fill up too much at dinner. Now, let us all dig in."

At his final words, the plates in front of them filled up, and dinner began. The students all ate quickly, ready to finally begin the dance. When everybody was done eating, the plates were cleared with a snap of Dumbledore's fingers, and refreshments appeared on a long table that had been pushed against one of the walls.

Lily felt an elbow in her ribs, and looked to see Professor Flitwick. "The Head Boy and Girl always start the first dance."

Lily looked at James, who grabbed her hand and steered her towards the dance floor. As soon as their feet touched the floor, a light waltz began to play. James took the first step and crunched directly onto Lily's toe. Lily held in her squeal of pain, and they continued to dance.

Other than this first mistake, Lily was surprised to find that James was much better at dancing than she had expected. Although they realized they were doing quite well, they had no idea how well. The students were soon mystified by their amazing dancing abilities, and a raucous round of applause followed the last note of the waltz. Lily and James, breathless from their dancing, merely smiled.

As the students began filtering onto the dance floor, Lily and James took a seat at one of the smaller tables.

"That went well," Lily said once James had returned with drinks.

"Surprisingly well. I didn't even know that I could dance like that," James replied.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Lily agreed. After a few moments of looking at the crowd in front of them, Lily added, "I wonder where Derrick is…"

"I don't know, but how about another dance?" James said, trying to take Lily's mind off of her boyfriend.

Lily agreed, and all thoughts of Derrick left her mind as they stepped onto the floor and began dancing. The Wand Washers arrived at around 8:00 and helped pick the party up. Even Ashton, who had come with out a date, seemed to be having a good time. She joined Lily and James, and Sirius soon followed her example.

By the end of the night, Sirius and Ashton were dancing and joking around like old friends. Lily's heart filled with joy at the sight of her best friend with her crush of four years. James caught her smiling, and glanced in Sirius and Ashton's direction.

"You know, he's had a crush on her for forever," James said.

Lily looked up at James, "Are you serious?"

"No joke."

"Well why didn't he even ask her out?"

"He didn't think she would take him seriously; I mean, you know what his reputation is like."

"His reputation is no better than yours! But he should have said something to her; she's liked him for years."

"I'll ignore that comment about me for now. I guess it's a good thing that we sort of forgave each other, or maybe they never would have talked at all."

"That's true," Lily agreed. A slow song began to play, and Lily instinctively laid her head upon James' shoulder. James smiled a little, and continued to dance.

After the slow song, Dumbledore insisted that the dance end. Lily and James lead the rest of students out of the Great Hall. As they left the Hall, Lily jumped as something fell out of a closet on her left. A giggle emitted from the undistinguishable thing that had come out of the closet. As the truth dawned on Lily, she tried her hardest to block it out. Anything but what lay before her. But it couldn't be blocked as Derrick and Cynthia untangled themselves.

"Hey babe," Derrick said, standing up and looking at Lily.

A strong smell of alcohol met Lily's nostrils as she felt rage begin to grow in her. It grew in her stomach, and drifted slowly upwards. "How could you?" she whispered,

"Gosh Lily, you are so stupid! You're the only person in the entire school who didn't know it was happening. It's been going on for months, but you were too blind to see it," Derrick replied, his words slightly slurred.

"You said you loved me!" Lily wailed. Her heart felt like it was being ripped down the middle, each little vessel being plucked from its surroundings.

"Do you really think I meant it?"

At these words Lily's slowly boiling rage exploded, and she jumped towards Derrick. Just before she tackled him, she felt strong arms wrap themselves around her waist. Hot tears ran down her burning cheeks as she screamed "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" She struggled against the force holding her back, but it wouldn't release her. She felt herself being dragged backwards, and Derricks face was lost amongst the faces of students.

Lily continued to cry and scream as she was dragged up stairs, hundreds of eyes following her slow progress. She finally began to quiet down as the crowd disappeared, and she stopped struggling against the person guiding her. She looked up to see James' face, looking more stern than usual.

As they entered their dorm, Lily let out a small wimper, and James took her into his arms. She began to cry great, bone-shattering sobs. "How could he?" she whispered between sniffles.

James sighed and said "Lily, some guys are just like that. There's nothing the rest of us can do to stop them."

Lily howled, and said "But how could he do it to _me_?"

"I don't know, Lily; I don't know."

-x-

Very cheesy, I know, but I couldn't figure out how to write it without it being cheesy. Yet again, I'm sorry for the awfully long wait. Hopefully I'll update again soon. You know what will help me to update even faster? Reviews! 


	6. Getting Back Up

As always, I am terribly sorry for the awfully long wait. I really do wish that I had a good excuse; but, unfortunately, I don't. I will, however, try my hardest to make it up to you by making this chapter fantastic. Deal?

-x-

Promiscuous boy

Let's get to the point

Cause we're on a roll

You ready?

-Nelly Furtado

Ch. 6 Getting Back Up

Lily's bright green eyes stayed hidden beneath her lids as she awoke to bright sunshine. She stretched one pale arm out from beneath her covers, trying to remember the events of the night before. She knew something had happened, but she couldn't seem to place her finger on it…

And then she remembered.

Her arm retreated back into the warm comfort of her blankets as Lily curled herself into a tiny ball. As each horrid detail flew into her mind, she felt more and more miserable. Soon she felt as if she would never be able to leave the soothing haven of her blankets.

A knock resounded through her silent bedroom. Lily merely threw the blankets over her head, not bothering to respond. Another knock reached her ears, and was soon followed by the creak of her door being opened.

"Lily?" she heard James' voice say. "Lily, it's time to wake up."

Lily rolled over beneath her covers and tried to curl into an even smaller ball.

She felt her bed sink under the weight of James' body as he sat down next to her. "I know it seems like your life has ended and you can't possibly get up, but I'm afraid to say you have to."

Lily poked her head out from beneath her blankets and said "Someone much greater than James Potter has to request my removal from this bed before I could possibly get up."

"How about Albus Dumbledore?" a voice said from her open doorway.

Lily looked up to find the headmaster staring at her. She sat up quickly and began patting down her matted hair. She could only imagine how awful she looked: Tangled hair, puffy bloodshot eyes, and mascara plastered all down her cheeks.

"Do not fret about your appearance, Miss Evans, I am simply here to chat," said Dumbledore, smiling slightly at her failed attempts to improve her looks. "Could you excuse us for a moment, James?"

As James left the room, he turned around to give Lily a small encouraging smile. He shut the door, and Lily returned to Dumbledore, who had come to rest on her bed.

"As I'm sure you are well aware, you made quite a show last night. If Mr. Potter had not been there to hold you back, I'm afraid Derrick would have suffered severe damage."

At these words Lily bowed her head in shame, and Dumbledore continued. "Since no harm was done to Mr. , no punishment will be required of you. However, I do not expect anything of this sort from you again, Lily. Especially because of your duties as Head Girl."

"Yes, sir." Lily replied.

"Derrick, on the other hand, along with Miss , shall be given detention and have 50 points each taken away from their respective houses. I will not tolerate drunkenness in my school. I would have dealt an even more serious punishment, but it seems that there is nothing in the rulebook stating that cheating peoples may be more seriously reprimanded."

Lily looked up to find Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkling.

"The winter holidays have begun, and both Derrick and have left to visit their families. This gives you a chance to recover from that embarrassing ordeal. I always find that a trip to the kitchens cheers me up. I'm sure Mr. Potter could help you with that." Dumbledore stood and gave Lily one last nod before leaving.

Lily fell back onto her pillows, rubbing her eyes. A light knock hit her door and she opened her eyes to see James.

"Dumbledore says you need a trip to the kitchens," said James.

Lily looked down at herself, taking in her own awful appearance.

"So, maybe a shower first?" James suggested with a grin.

"I don't know…" Lily began.

"Come on, Lily. I guaranteed one trip to the kitchens will get you feeling 100 better."

Lily's thoughts drifted to the night before, and she felt herself retreating back underneath her covers. "Not right now, James," she heard herself say. "Maybe tomorrow. Right now I think I just need to be alone.

James sighed, but Lily heard her door shut with a click. Turning towards her window, Lily felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. She closed her lids tightly, trying to shut out the pain that was now coursing through her veins. Even as she mustered all her strength to keep out the tears, she felt one slide down her cheek, carving a path through her soul.

Twenty-four hours later, James sat in the library, working on a particularly hard essay on the importance of engulfing potions. As his quill scratched across the parchment, he had the sudden feeling that someone was watching him. He looked up to find Lily walking across the library towards him. Seeing Lily didn't surprise him as much as the way she looked; gone was the woebegone look of yesterday, and in its place was a bright and shining Lily.

"Hi," Lily said, leaning against James' table.

James smiled and said, "You look much better this morning."

"Mm," Lily said. "Look James, I need a favor."

James stood up and began piling his books together. "Lily, if you need me to transfigure Derrick into a toad or something, it's not going to happen."

"Don't be silly," Lily said, following James as he returned his books to their shelves. "It's much simpler than that. I've formed plan. You see, you're known as one of the best-looking and over-all best guys in school, right?"

James paused. "Well, yeah, but I certainly never expected to hear that coming from you."

"As true as this may be, I couldn't deny the facts that you would be the ultimate revenge tool."

"What?" James exclaimed as he dropped a copy of Important Potions of the 1200s.

"No, think about it," Lily continued. "What would happen if Derrick came back to see you and me together, completely in love, and happier than him and I ever were. And it wouldn't hurt if he thought you were getting some, either…"

"Lily Evans, I never knew you has such a mischievous side." James said with a grin.

"So you'll do it?" Lily questioned.

"I don't see why not. But under one condition."

"What's that?"

"We get straight to practicing," James said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"In your dreams, Potter." Lily said, trying to stifle a grin.

As Lily turned to leave the library, James cut in front of her, blocking her path. "It's obvious that you're new to this evil-plan business; you see, you sort of need the plan part to make it evil. And I do believe that I owe you a trip to the kitchens."

Lily looked into James' eyes for a moment before saying, "Lead the way."

Twenty minutes later the two found themselves surrounded by an unbelievably large amount of pastries, ice cream, pies, cakes, candy, and pumpkin juice.

"Mmm," said Lily, licking the chocolate icing from a doughnut off her lips.

"Aren't you glad I convinced you to come down here?"

Lily, choosing not to answer, bit into a large pastry.

After a few minutes of content silence, broken only by the occasional slurping of pumpkin juice, Lily cleared her throat. "You know, it's crazy to think that just 36 hours ago I was a completely different person."

James, sensing that there was more to this, simply nodded his head.

"How could I have no idea? All those late night Quidditch practices, study groups, chess club meetings… It just seems so obvious now."

"You can't beat yourself up about it, Lily. What he did wasn't your fault. He's just a creep."

"Did everybody really know?"

James paused a moment. "Well, not everybody."

"Why didn't anybody tell me!" Lily exclaimed exasperatedly. "If everyone knew, why

didn't anybody say anything?"

"You forget that you're a very stubborn person. Imagine what you would have done if someone had come up to you and said Derrick was cheating on you. Probably told them they were full of it."

A moment's silence passed. "You warned me," Lily said quietly.

James sighed. "Yeah, well, I can't say that I blame you for not believing me. I'm not exactly known for a being an honorable person or anything, am I?"

"Far from it," Lily said grinning. "Which is what makes you the perfect person for my plan."

"You do realize there are about a million ways this plan could fall through, right?"

Lily gazed at James over the top of her cup.

"Like, who are we going to tell? Are you going to tell Ashton, and am I allowed to tell Sirius?"

Lily considered this. "No. I love Ashton, but if this leaked out at all, our plan would be ruined."

"Ok, that's one problem down. The next question is, how fast are we going to take this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, is Derrick going to come back and see you slobbering all over me, or is he going to come back and see us falling in love?"

Lily screwed up her face in disgust. "Definitely the second option. It's going to take a lot of time before I can slobber over James Potter."

"I'm going to ignore that insult for now and cut right to the next question. What is your end goal?"

"I haven't really thought about that. I just figured I'd make him jealous."

"So you don't want to get back together with him, right?"

"No, no, of course not." Lily said, swirling her spoon through her ice cream and not meeting eyes with James.

"Lily!"

"Hmm?" Lily said, glancing up.

"Please don't tell me you aren't over him!"

"Of course I'm over him!" James eyed her suspiciously. "Honestly, James, I am!"

"Ok, then."

"Ok."

A tense silence filled the room.

"So, want to practice snogging?"

"James!" Lily squealed, whacking him from across the table.

"Just kidding, just kidding," James said, laughing. Lily sat back, glaring at James. "You know, if this is going to work, you have to at least pretend to not hate me."

"There's a large difference between hate and despise, Potter."

"I love you too, Lily."

"Seriously though, do you think this will work?"

James paused for a moment. "I don't know. But I certainly hope it does."

"So do I, James. So do I."

-x-

Hooray! I wrote that chapter really fast… I know it wasn't terribly exciting, but the good stuff's on the way! The only problem is, my internet's been a bit faulty lately. I will try my hardest to get this chapter, as well as another chapter, up as soon as possible. As always, thanks for read and **reviewing!** (hint hint nudge nudge)


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